Size-dependent spontaneous alloying of Au-Ag nanoparticles

We report on systematic studies of size-dependent alloy formation of silver-coated gold nanoparticles (NPs) in aqueous solution at ambient temperature using X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (XAFS). Various Au-core sizes (2.5-20 nm diameter) and Ag shell thicknesses were synthesized using radiolytic wet techniques. The equilibrium structures (alloy versus core-shell) of these NPs were determined in the suspensions. We observed remarkable size dependence in the room temperature interdiffusion of the two metals. The interdiffusion is limited to the subinterface layers of the bimetallic NPs and depends on both the core size and the total particle size. For the very small particles (< or =4.6 nm initial Au-core size), the two metals are nearly randomly distributed within the particle. However, even for these small Au-core NPs, the interdiffusion occurs primarily in the vicinity of the original interface. Features from the Ag shells do remain. For the larger particles, the boundary is maintained to within one monolayer. These results cannot be explained either by enhanced self-diffusion that results from depression of the melting point with size or by surface melting of the NPs. We propose that defects, such as vacancies, at the bimetallic interface enhance the radial migration (as well as displacement around the interface) of one metal into the other. Molecular dynamics calculations correctly predict the activation energy for diffusion of the metals in the absence of vacancies and show an enormous dependence of the rate of mixing on defect levels. They also suggest that a few percent of the interfacial lattice sites need to be vacant to explain the observed mixing.     

Electrocatalytic properties of Au@Pt nanoparticles: effects of Pt shell packing density and Au core size

A detailed study of electrocatalytic properties of Au@Pt nanoparticles (NPs) as functions of Pt shell packing density and Au core size in terms of CO/methanol oxidation and oxygen reduction reactions is reported here. While most samples studied showed inferior catalytic activities to those of the commercial Pt black that fall reasonably well in a d-band-center up-shift (i.e., stronger surface bonding) regime, the steepest activity recovery trend as manifested by the smallest Au-core samples suggests a plausible transition to a d-band-center down-shift (i.e., weaker surface bonding) regime as the Au core becomes smaller.     

Propene hydrogenation with PtAg intermetallic phases supported on SiO2 gels

Various intermetallic phases composed of Pt/Ag supported on SiO₂-gel were synthesized by reduction of Pt(allyl)₂ and Ag[cyclooctadiene]₂⁺ precursors anchored on the support surface. This method afforded highly dispersed metallic particles. X-ray analysis was used to ascertain the occurrence of alloy, for structural identification of Pt/Ag phases and degree of dispersion. The catalytic activity of these systems was studied in gas-phase hydrogenation of propene within the temperature range 10–90 °C. Kinetic parameters such as specific reaction rates, reaction orders and apparent activation energies were calculated as functions of the Pt/Ag ratio. Results are compared and discussed in terms of the structural and electronic features of the active metallic phase.     

Synthesis of hollow and nanoporous gold/platinum alloy nanoparticles and their electrocatalytic activity for formic acid oxidation

In this work, hollow Au/Pt alloy nanoparticles (NPs) with porous surfaces were synthesized in a two-step procedure. In the first step, tri-component Ag/Au/Pt alloy NPs were synthesized through the galvanic replacement reaction between Ag NPs and aqueous solutions containing a mixture of HAuCl₄ and H₂PtCl₄. In the second step, the Ag component was selectively dealloyed with nitric acid (HNO₃), resulting in hollow di-component Au/Pt alloy NPs with a porous surface morphology. The atomic ratio of Au to Pt in the NPs was easily tunable by controlling the molar ratio of the precursor solution (HAuCl₄ and H₂PtCl₆). Hollow, porous Au/Pt alloy NPs showed enhanced catalytic activity toward formic acid electrooxidation compared to the analogous pure Pt NPs. This improved activity can be attributable to the suppression of CO poisoning via the “ensemble” effect.     

Designed Synthesis of Well‐Defined Pd@Pt Core–Shell Nanoparticles with Controlled Shell Thickness as Efficient Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts

Improving the electrocatalytic activity and durability of Pt‐based catalysts with low Pt content toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is one of the main challenges in advancing the performance of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Herein, a designed synthesis of well‐defined Pd@Pt core–shell nanoparticles (NPs) with a controlled Pt shell thickness of 0.4–1.2 nm by a facile wet chemical method and their electrocatalytic performances for ORR as a function of shell thickness are reported. Pd@Pt NPs with predetermined structural parameters were prepared by in situ heteroepitaxial growth of Pt on as‐synthesized 6 nm Pd NPs without any sacrificial layers and intermediate workup processes, and thus the synthetic procedure for the production of Pd@Pt NPs with well‐defined sizes and shell thicknesses is greatly simplified. The Pt shell thickness could be precisely controlled by adjusting the molar ratio of Pt to Pd. The ORR performance of the Pd@Pt NPs strongly depended on the thickness of their Pt shells. The Pd@Pt NPs with 0.94 nm Pt shells exhibited enhanced specific activity and higher durability compared to other Pd@Pt NPs and commercial Pt/C catalysts. Testing Pd@Pt NPs with 0.94 nm Pt shells in a membrane electrode assembly revealed a single‐cell performance comparable with that of the Pt/C catalyst despite their lower Pt content, that is the present NP catalysts can facilitate low‐cost and high‐efficient applications of PEMFCs.     

Hierarchical Ni−Al hydrotalcite supported Pt catalyst for efficient catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde at room temperature

Catalytic oxidation at room temperature is recognized as the most promising method for formaldehyde (HCHO) removal. Pt-based catalysts are the optimal catalyst for HCHO decomposition at room temperature. Herein, flower-like hierarchical Pt/NiAl-LDHs catalysts with different [Ni²⁺]/[Al³⁺] molar ratios were synthesized via hydrothermal method followed by NaBH₄ reduction of Pt precursor at room temperature. The flower-like hierarchical Pt/NiAl-LDHs were composed of interlaced nanoplates and metallic Pt nanoparticles (NPs) approximately 3–4 nm in diameter were loaded on the surface of the Pt/NiAl-LDHs with high dispersion. The as-prepared Pt/NiAl21 nanocomposite was highly efficient in catalyzing oxidation of HCHO into CO₂ at room temperature. The high activity of the hierarchical Pt/NiAl21 nanocomposite was maintained after seven recycle tests, suggesting the high stability of the catalyst. Based on in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) studies, a reaction mechanism was put forward about HCHO decomposition at room temperature. This work provides new insights into designing and fabricating high-performance catalysts for efficient indoor air purification.     

Chemically dealloyed Pt–Au–Cu ternary electrocatalysts with enhanced stability in electrochemical oxygen reduction

We report simple synthesis of ternary Pt–Au–Cu catalysts consisting of active Pt-rich shell and Pt transition-metal alloy core for use as highly active and durable electrocatalysts in oxygen reduction reactions. The ternary Pt–Au–Cu catalysts were synthesized by chemical coreduction followed by thermal treatment and chemical dealloying. During synthesis, thermal treatment formed metal particles into high-degree alloys, and chemical dealloying led to selective dissolution of soluble Cu species from the outer surface layer of the thermally treated alloy particles, resulting in Pt-based alloys@Pt-rich surface core–shell configuration. Compared with a commercial Pt/C catalyst, our Pt_1?xAu _x Cu₃/C-AT catalysts exhibited approximately 2.4-fold enhanced performance in oxygen reduction reactions. Among the catalysts employed in this work, Pt_0.97Au_0.3Cu₃/C-AT showed the highest performance in terms of mass activity, specific activity, and electrochemically active surface area loss with negligible change during 10,000 potential cycles. The synthesis details, electrochemical characteristics, oxygen reduction reaction performance, and durability of the chemically dealloyed ternary Pt–Au–Cu catalysts are presented and discussed.     

Cellulose/silver nanoparticles composite microspheres: eco-friendly synthesis and catalytic application

Cellulose/silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) composites were prepared and their catalytic performance was evaluated. Porous cellulose microspheres, fabricated from NaOH/thiourea aqueous solution by a sol–gel transition processing, were served as supports for Ag NPs synthesis by an eco-friendly hydrothermal method. The regenerated cellulose microspheres were designed as reducing reagent for hydrothermal reduction and also micro-reactors for controlling growth of Ag NPs. The structure and properties of obtained composite microspheres were characterized by Optical microscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy, WXRD, SEM, TEM and TG. The results indicated that Ag NPs were integrated successfully and dispersed uniformly in the cellulose matrix. Their size (8.3–18.6?nm), size distribution (3.4–7.7?nm), and content (1.1–4.9?wt%) were tunable by tailoring of the initial concentration of AgNO₃. Moreover, the shape, integrity and thermal stability were firmly preserved for the obtained composite microspheres. The catalytic performance of the as-prepared cellulose/Ag composite microspheres was examined through a model reaction of 4-nitrophenol reduction in the presence of NaBH₄. The composites microspheres exhibited good catalytic activity, which is much high than that of hydrogel/Ag NPs composites and comparable with polymer core–shell particles loading Ag NPs.     

Chemical Dealloying Mechanism of Bimetallic Pt–Co Nanoparticles and Enhancement of Catalytic Activity toward Oxygen Reduction

The chemical dealloying mechanism of bimetallic Pt–Co nanoparticles (NPs) and enhancement of their electrocatalytic activity towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) have been investigated on a fundamental level by the combination of X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and aberration‐corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Structural parameters, such as coordination numbers, alloy extent, and the unfilled d states of Pt atoms, are derived from the XAS spectra, together with the compositional variation analyzed by line‐scanning energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) on an atomic scale, to gain new insights into the dealloying process of bimetallic Pt–Co NPs. The XAS results on acid‐treated Pt–Co/C NPs reveal that the Co–Co bonding in the bimetallic NPs dissolves first and the remaining morphology gradually transforms to a Pt‐skin structure. From cyclic voltammetry and mass activity measurements, Pt–Co alloy NPs with a Pt‐skin structure significantly enhance the catalytic performance towards the ORR. Further, it is observed that such an imperfect Pt‐skin surface feature will collapse due to the penetration of electrolyte into layers underneath and cause further dissolution of Co and the loss of Pt. The electrocatalytic activity decreases accordingly, if the dealloying process lasts for 4 h. The findings not only demonstrate the importance of appropriate treatment of bimetallic catalysts, but also can be referred to other Pt bimetallic alloys with transition metals.     

Trimetallic Au@PdPt core-shell nanoparticles with ultrathin PdPt skin as highly stable electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in acid solution

To design efficient and low-cost core-shell electrocatalysts with an ultrathin platinum shell, the balance between platinum dosage and durability in acid solution is of great importance. In the present work, trimetallic Au@PdPt core-shell nanoparticles(NPs)with Pd/Pt molar ratios ranging from 0.31:1 to 4.20:1 were synthesized based on the Au catalytic reduction strategy and the subsequent metallic replacement reaction. When the Pd/Pt molar ratio is 1.19:1(designated as Au@Pd_(1.19) Pt_1 NPs), the superior electrochemical activity and stability were achieved for oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) in acid solution. Especially, the specific and mass activities of Au@Pd_(1.19) Pt_1 NPs are 1.31 and 6.09 times higher than those of commercial Pt/C catalyst. In addition, the Au@Pd_(1.19) Pt_1 NPs presented a good durability in acid solution. After 3000 potential cycles between 0.1 and 0.7 V(vs. Ag/AgCl), the oxygen reduction activity is almost unchanged. This study provides a simple strategy to synthesize highperformance trimetallic ORR electrocatalyst for fuel cells.     

Tailoring the surface structure of iron compounds to optimize the selectivity of 3-nitrostyrene hydrogenation reaction over Pt catalyst

Selective hydrogenation of substituted nitroarenes is an important reaction to obtain amines.Supported metal catalysts are wildly used in this reaction because the surface structure of supports can tune the properties of the supported metal nanoparticles （NPs） and promote the selectivity to amines.Herein,Pt NPs were immobilized on Fe OOH,Fe₃O₄andα-Fe₂O₃nanorods to synthesize a series of iron compounds supported Pt catalysts by liquid phase reduction me...     

新型耐甲醇氧还原电催化剂——氮掺杂中空碳微球@铂纳米粒子复合材料

通过模板法制备了一种新型耐甲醇氧还原电催化剂——氮掺杂中空碳微球@铂纳米粒子复合材料(HNCMS@PtNPs)。首先,将铂纳米粒子负载于氨基化二氧化硅微球上,获得PtNPs/SiO₂复合材料。然后通过多巴胺自聚合反应在PtNPs/SiO₂复合材料上包裹聚多巴胺(PDA)膜,将其在氮气气氛中直接进行碳化处理并通过氢氟酸溶液刻蚀去除SiO₂,获得了内嵌有PtNPs的氮掺杂中空碳微球,标记为HNCMS@PtNPs复合材料。采用扫描电子显微镜、透射电子显微镜、X射线衍射仪、拉曼光谱仪、比表面积分析仪和X射线光电子能谱仪对HNCMS@PtNPs复合材料的形貌和结构进行了表征。采用循环伏安法和线性扫描伏安法研究了HNCMS@PtNPs复合材料的电催化氧还原性能。结果表明：HNCMS@PtNPs催化剂的Pt载量高达11.9%(w,质量分数),对氧还原反应具有高电催化活性、高稳定性和优良的抗甲醇性能,是一种具有应用潜力的直接甲醇燃料电池(DMFCs)阴极电催化剂。     

分等级结构对锡氧化物负载Pt室温催化甲醛氧化性能的影响

甲醛是主要的室内空气污染物,气相中甲醛去除技术具有重要意义.常用的甲醛去除技术主要包括物理和化学吸附、光催化分解和热催化氧化,其中能在常温下进行的催化氧化最具发展和实用前景.能在室温下高效催化甲醛完全氧化的催化剂一般为负载型贵金属,如铂(Pt)、钯、金、银等.除了选择具有内在高活性的组分,通过提高贵金属分散度,增强贵金属-载体相互作用,增加载体的甲醛亲和性等方法也可提高甲醛催化分解活性.以上方法主要关注催化剂化学性质的改良;另一方面,催化剂的微观几何结构以及传质快慢对表观催化反应速率也有重要影响.近年来研究表明,分等级结构利于反应物在材料孔隙中的扩散输移,可大幅提高催化活性.因此,我们制备了具有分等级结构的花状锡氧化物(SnOx)负载的Pt纳米颗粒,并研究其室温下催化分解甲醛的性能.花状SnOx以氟化亚锡和尿素为原料,通过水热法制备;Pt通过浸渍、硼氢化钠还原法负载,制备Pt/SnOx催化剂.另外,对SnOx进行球磨处理破坏其分等级结构,制备g-SnOx及Pt/g-SnOx作为对照.通过场发射扫描电镜观察,制备的锡氧化物为具有分等级结构的花状微球,直径约1?m,由厚度约20 nm的花瓣状纳米片交错连接而成.X射线衍射(XRD)谱图对应四方相氧化亚锡(SnO,JCPDS 06-0395),但也观察到四方金红石相氧化锡(SnO2,JCPDS 41-1445)的微弱特征峰.高分辨透射电镜(HRTEM)仅观察到四方相SnO的晶格条纹.根据X射线光电子能谱(XPS)结果,在花状锡氧化物的表面,锡元素的氧化态为正四价.综合以上表征结果表明:制备的锡氧化物主体为SnO,由于表面被空气氧化,含有少量SnO2.通过透射电镜观察Pt/SnOx催化剂发现,直径2–3 nm的Pt纳米颗粒高度分散负载于SnOx纳米片表面;XPS结果表明,纳米颗粒中Pt的价态为0价,与HRTEM观测结果一致.甲醛分解测试采用静态测试系统,在体积为6 L的测试箱中加入一定浓度甲醛后开始反应,监测甲醛、二氧化碳(CO2)和一氧化碳(CO)浓度随时间的变化.结果表明,花状SnOx在室温下不具有催化甲醛氧化活性,仅能通过吸附作用去除少量甲醛;而负载0价金属态Pt纳米颗粒后,甲醛快速分解为CO2和水,且无CO生成.在初始浓度170 ppm条件下,反应1 h后,甲醛去除率达到87%.Pt/SnOx催化剂的高活性表明,金属态Pt是催化甲醛氧化的活性组分.经球磨处理后制备的Pt/g-SnOx,其催化活性远低于具有分等级结构的Pt/SnOx;后者的二级反应速率常数为前者的5.6倍,证明分等级结构能有效加速甲醛催化氧化分解.本研究结果对于高效分解室内甲醛材料的设计、制备提供了一种指导性的新思路.     

A label-free amperometric immunosensor for detection of zearalenone based on trimetallic Au-core/AgPt-shell nanorattles and mesoporous carbon

A novel label-free amperometric immunosensor is proposed for the ultrasensitive detection of zearalenone (ZEN) based on mesoporous carbon (MC) and trimetallic nanorattles (core/shell particles with movable cores encapsulated in the shells). The nanorattles are composed of special Au-core and imperfect AgPt-shell structure (Au@AgPt). The Au@AgPt nanorattles are loaded onto the MC by physical adsorption. The structure of the Au@AgPt nanorattles was characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the composition of the synthesized nanorattles. Compared with monometallic and bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs), Au@AgPt nanorattles show a higher electron transfer rate due to the synergistic effect of the Au, Ag and Pt NPs. MC further improves the sensitivity of the immunosensor because of its extraordinarily large specific surface area, suitable pore arrangement and outstanding conductivity. The large specific surface area of MC and MC@Au@AgPt were characterized by the BET method. ZEN antibodies are immobilized onto the nanorattles via Ag–NH₂ bonds and Pt–NH₂ bonds. Cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry were used to characterize the recognizability of ZEN. Under optimum experimental conditions, the proposed immunosensor exhibited a low detection limit (1.7 pg mL⁻¹), a wide linear range (from 0.005 to 15 ng mL⁻¹) as well as good stability, reproducibility and selectivity. The sensor can be used in clinical analysis.     

FePt nanoparticles assembled on graphene as enhanced catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

Seven-nanometer FePt nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized and assembled on graphene (G) by a solution-phase self-assembly method. These G/FePt NPs were a more active and durable catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in 0.1 M HClO(4) than the same NPs or commercial Pt NPs deposited on conventional carbon support. The G/FePt NPs annealed at 100 °C for 1 h under Ar + 5% H(2) exhibited specific ORR activities of 1.6 mA/cm(2) at 0.512 V and 0.616 mA/cm(2) at 0.557 V (vs Ag/AgCl). As a comparison, the commercial Pt NPs (2-3 nm) had specific activities of 0.271 and 0.07 mA/cm(2) at the same potentials. The G/FePt NPs were also much more stable in the ORR condition and showed nearly no activity change after 10?000 potential sweeps. The work demonstrates that G is indeed a promising support to improve NP activity and durability for practical catalytic applications.     

Kinetic Isotope Effect as a Tool To Investigate the Oxygen Reduction Reaction on Pt-based Electrocatalysts – Part II: Effect of Platinum Dispersion

We investigated the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) mechanism on Pt nanoparticles (NPs) dispersed on several carbon blacks with various physicochemical properties (i. e. specific surface ranging from 80 to 900 m² g⁻¹, different graphitization degree, etc.). Using the kinetic isotope effect (KIE) along with various electrochemical characterizations, we determined that the rate determining step (RDS) of the ORR is a proton-independent step when the density of Pt NPs on the surface of the carbon support is high. Upon decrease of the density of Pt NPs on the surface, the RDS of the ORR starts involving a proton, as denoted by an increase of the KIE >1. This underlined the critical role played by the carbon support in the oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalysis by Pt supported on high surface area carbon.     

Visualization of the Local Catalytic Activity of Electrodeposited Pt–Ag Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction by means of SECM

Pt–Ag nanoparticle co‐deposits with different Pt–Ag ratios were prepared on a glassy carbon (GC) surface by pulsed electrodeposition and investigated for their catalytic activity in electrocatalytic oxygen reduction by using cyclic voltammetry (CV), rotating disc electrode (RDE) and scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). The atomic composition of the Pt–Ag co‐deposits was studied by means of energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis (EDAX). In combination with X‐ray diffraction (XRD), the presence of partly alloyed Pt and Ag on the GC surface was confirmed. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images indicate that the prepared Pt–Ag catalyst particles are homogenously dispersed over the GC surface. Their size and morphology depend on their composition. The electrocatalytic activity of Pt–Ag deposits with high Pt content was the highest, exceeding even that of electrodeposited Pt as evaluated by quantitative RDE analysis. The redox competition mode of scanning electrochemical microscopy (RC‐SECM) was successfully used to visualize the local catalytic activity of the deposited Pt–Ag particles. Semi‐quantitative assessment of the SECM results confirmed the same order of activity of the different catalysts as the RDE investigations.     

Hierarchical TiO2 nanosheet‐assembled nanotubes with dual electron sink functional sites for efficient photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B

A novel Pt–TiO₂/Ag nanotube photocatalyst has been synthesized successfully via a facile method. TiO₂ nanotubes are assembled with numerous ultrathin TiO₂ nanosheets and show a highly open structure. The gaps between adjacent TiO₂ nanosheets can serve as channels for the access of reactants, accelerating the mass transfer process. During the fabrication process of the Pt–TiO₂/Ag nanotube photocatalyst, high‐quality Pt–SiO₂ nanotubes are synthesized first with the structure‐directing effect of polyvinylpyrrolidone. Then a TiO₂ layer is coated on the outside surface of the silica nanotubes. The introduced titanium species can be converted into TiO₂ nanosheet structure during the subsequent hydrothermal treatment, gradually constructing nanosheet‐assembled nanotubes. Lastly, after the introduction of another electron sink function site of Ag through UV irradiation, the Pt–TiO₂/Ag nanotube photocatalyst with dual electron sink functional sites is obtained. The specially doped Pt and Ag NPs can simultaneously inhibit the recombination process of photogenerated charge carriers and increase light utilization efficiency. Therefore, the as‐synthesized Pt–TiO₂/Ag nanotube catalyst exhibits a high photocatalytic degradation performance for rhodamine B of 0.2 min^?1, which is about 3.2 and 5.3 times as high as that of Pt–TiO₂ and TiO₂ nanotubes because of the enhanced charge carrier separation efficiency. Furthermore, in the unique nanoarchitecture, the nanotubes are assembled with numerous ultrathin TiO₂ nanosheets, which can absorb abundant active species and dye molecules for photocatalytic reaction. On the basis of experimental results, a possible rhodamine B degradation mechanism is proposed to explain the excellent photocatalytic efficiency of the Pt–TiO₂/Ag nanotube photocatalyst.     

Pd@Pt Core–Shell Nanoparticles with Branched Dandelion‐like Morphology as Highly Efficient Catalysts for Olefin Reduction

A facile synthesis based on the addition of ascorbic acid to a mixture of Na₂PdCl₄, K₂PtCl₆, and Pluronic P123 results in highly branched core–shell nanoparticles (NPs) with a micro–mesoporous dandelion‐like morphology comprising Pd core and Pt shell. The slow reduction kinetics associated with the use of ascorbic acid as a weak reductant and suitable Pd/Pt atomic ratio (1:1) play a principal role in the formation mechanism of such branched Pd@Pt core–shell NPs, which differs from the traditional seed‐mediated growth. The catalyst efficiently achieves the reduction of a variety of olefins in good to excellent yields. Importantly, higher catalytic efficiency of dandelion‐like Pd@Pt core–shell NPs was observed for the olefin reduction than commercially available Pt black, Pd NPs, and physically admixed Pt black and Pd NPs. This superior catalytic behavior is not only due to larger surface area and synergistic effects but also to the unique micro–mesoporous structure with significant contribution of mesopores with sizes of several tens of nanometers.     

Pt3Te4 nanoparticles from tellurium nanowires

We report the synthesis of platinum telluride nanoparticles (Pt(3)Te(4) NPs) in the solution phase at room temperature using a template-assisted method. The dendrimeric aggregates formed are composed of several small units of Pt(3)Te(4) NPs of ～4 nm diameter. Tellurium nanowires (Te NWs) are used as the template and the reducing agent in the growth of NPs which occurs due to the galvanic replacement reaction between Te NWs and PtCl(6)(2-). Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of the dispersed Pt(3)Te(4) NPs was studied using crystal violet (CV) as the analyte. SERS sensitivity up to 10(-8) M of CV was observed. The Raman enhancement factor (EF) of adsorbed CV on NP aggregates was calculated to be 1.74 × 10(5). The catalytic ability of the as-synthesized Pt(3)Te(4) NPs for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) was studied.